Animal-trap.



No. 819,838. PATENTED MAY 8, 1906,

P. ARMSTRONG. ANIMAL TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PRESTON ARMSTRONG, OF SHELTON, WVASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR- OF ONE- HALF TOLEMUEL R. BYRNE, OF SHELTON, WASHINGTON.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

.Patented. May 8, 1906.

To all whom it nuty concern:

Beit known that I, PRESTON ARMSTRONG, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Shelton, in the county of Mason and State ofIVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAnimal- T raps, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to animal-traps, and more particularly to thatclass in which the animal is caught in a noose, and has for its objectsto hold the animal so that it is impossible for it to move and yet sothat its fur will not be in any way injured.

A further object is to so improve the construction of the trap that itis adjustable in shape, thus allowing it to be placed in positions whichan ordinary trap could not occupy.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional side View of a trap set. Fig.2 is a plan thereof. Fig. 3 is a small view showing the trap sprung, andFig. 4 is a plan showing the springs turned to illustrate the adjustmentthereof when it is desired to place the trap in a narrow passage.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

The plate 1 has its two long sides turned upward to form the flanges 2.To each end of this plate 1 is pivotally secured the end of a flatspring 3. This spring 3 extends outward from the end of the plate 1 andthen is bent back on itself, so that its other end comes practicallyover the end secured to the plate. To this upper end is pivotallysecured a headplate 1. This plate 4 is about as wide as the base-plate 1and has secured to its opposite ends the ends of the double flexibleloops 5. These loops 5 extend from one head-plate to the other on eachside of the trap, passing first under the rollers or pulleys 6, whichare fastened to the plate 1. The length of the loops 5 is such that whenthe springs are bent down, so that the head-plates reach the plate 1,the loop 5 will be raised from the trap a sufficient distance to allowthe entrance of the animal thereunder and so that when the trap has beensprimg and the springs returned to their normal position the loops 5will be taut and will hold the animal down on the plate 1.

The head-plates 4 are held down when the trap is set by holding-bar 7,which is pivoted to the plate 1 and which passes through a hole 8 in thehead-plate 4. At one end of the trap the bar 7 engages under thehook-piece 9, to which the pan 10 is secured. At the other end of thetrap the bar 7 engages under the hook-piece 11, which has a lever 12extending under the pan 10.

It will readily be seen that as soon as the animal treads on the pan 10the hook-piece 9 releases one of the springs 3 and that as the pan 10falls it releases, through the hookpiece 11, the other spring 3. Thisaction of the two springs 3 is practically simultaneous. My trap is sodesigned that the loop 5 engages a large surface of the animal, and thusreduces the damage to the skin to the minimum, and, further, it forcesit down against the flanges 2 and instantaneously kills it.

The springs 3 being pivoted to the plate 1 and the head-pieces 4 beingpivoted to the springs 3, it is evident that I can move the springs 3about the pivot Without twisting the plate 1 relative to the base-plate1, thus keeping the loops 5 symmetrical.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In ananimal-trap, the combination of a bed-plate having an upturned edge, apair of springs oppositely secured to said bed-plate, and a flexibleloop secured to and extending between the free ends of said springs andengaging said bed-plate at points intermediate said springs and adjacentto the upturned edge of the bed-plate whereby when said loop is pulledtaut it acts in conjunction with said edge to kill the animaltherebetween.

2. In an animal-trap, the combination of a bed-plate, a spring pivotallysecured thereto, a head-plate pivotally secured to said spring, and aloop engaging said head-plate and adapted to be pulled thereby.

3. In an animal-trap, the combination of a bed-plate, a pair of springspivotally secured to the ends of said bed-plate, head-plates secured tothe ends of said springs, and a loop extending between said head-platesand adapted to be pulled thereby.

1. In an animal-trap, the combination of a bed-plate, opposite springssecured to the ends thereof, a flexible loo joining said In testimonywhereof I afiix my signature springs and adapted to be pu led thereby, ain presence of two Witnesses. pan pivoted to said plate and holding downone of said springs, and independent means I PRESTON ARMSTRONG forholding down the other spring and adapt- Witnesses: ed to be removed bysaid pan after said first L. R. BYRNE,

spring has been released. ANNA C. BYRNE.

